The forlorn hope was an escape? By me, Kita
by Kita Kitsune
Summary: Dark. My take on what Kurama was REALLY thinking when he used the 'mirror of darkness' . . . and the truth is, it wasn't as noble a sacrifice as we've been lead to believe (currently a one-shot).


The forlorn hope was . . . an escape? By me, Kita  
  
E.V. means this is the English Version name of the item  
  
A smiling Kita: Hey minna-san! ^-^  
  
Had this idea, and jus HAD to write it down ^-^;;; . . .  
  
Also, I'm using the manga version of this situation because . . .  
  
1) Direct translation; it is exactly what Yoshihiro Togashi wrote (only in English instead of Japanese)  
  
2) Like it more and HAVE the manga right in front of me (heh . . .)  
  
3) The name 'mirror of darkness' seems better than 'the forlorn hope' (heh heh . . .)  
  
4) Kura-kun's better depicted in the manga (ano . . . to me, at least . . . heh! ^-^;;;;)  
  
Ok, anything DIRECTLY QUOTED from the manga will be in these " "jus so ya know ^-^;;  
  
I DO NOT OWN THE PARTS OF THIS FIC INVOLVING THE CHARACTERS OF YOSHIHIRO TOGASHI, OR THE INSTANCES WHERE WORDS ARE QUOTED DIRECTLY FROM THE MANGA IN ""FORMAT . . . jus so you all know lol.  
  
And, without further ado, on with the fic! =^-^=  
  
Kurama's POV  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
It was my only choice to save her. I was doing it because she was my mother . . . because I loved her and she helped me through the years I was the most vulnerable. I was saving her life by giving up mine for some noble purpose . . . I believed that . . . I HAD to believe it . . .  
  
but that nasty little voice in the back of my mind made me think otherwise.  
  
\ Shuichi, you should really stop kidding yourself. It's pathetic to see you play mind games with yourself . . . and LOOSE. \  
  
/ . . . shut up, youko. /  
  
\ You know I'm right . . . you're no more attached to that woman that I am. I KNOW what you really want . . . an escape. That's why you stole the mirror of darkness, correct Shuichi? \ My demon half placed an emphasis on the human name.  
  
/ If you understand me so well, youko, then you know to stay out of it. / Then I heard his cold, cruel laugh echo through my mind.  
  
\ You should know YOURSELF better, Shuichi. You should realize that the real reason you're doing all this is—\  
  
/ To save Shiori. / I stated, interrupting. He chuckled again.  
  
\ No; you don't care about that ningen woman. Once you've been a demon, you're tainted for life . . . or LIVES, in this case haha . . . \ I clenched my teeth.  
  
\ Be QUIET, youko . . .\  
  
/ Can't take the truth, Shuichi-chan? / He said with a sickeningly sweet tone. / Then let me remind you of the thoughts that passed through your mind . . . after the Jaganshi asked for your help . . . /  
  
(::flashback::)  
  
"Then it's agreed." The fire youkai stated with authority to his taller companion. With a nod from the redhead, he flitted away into the night . . .  
  
Thinking to himself, the former youkai thief walked in the half- moonlight back to his home; which was currently vacant . . . Minamino Shiori having been in the hospital for about two and a half weeks now.  
  
The mirror of darkness . . . Kurama mused . . . has the power to grant the deepest desire of the one who looks into it . . . though you must give your life.  
  
He sighed, looking up at the night sky as a breeze rustled through the empty street.  
  
My greatest desire is . . .  
  
Shiori's health and happiness, he told himself; instantly and firmly. But a voice whispered in the back of his mind . . .  
  
No . . . it's to be a kitsune again . . . to be . . . free . . .  
  
Free . . .  
  
If . . . the ningen . . . Minamino Shuichi . . . DIED . . . his demon spirit would escape death . . . he had done it once already . . . Kurama sighed in remembrance . . . oh, to roam the Makai again . . . and be free . . .  
  
(::end of flashback::)  
  
\ . . . \  
  
/ What's this, Shuichi-chan? No retort? /  
  
\ . . . . . that thought was . . . only a passing one. Any demon would have done the same . . . \  
  
/ Oh, but wait. You're not just ANY demon, are you, Shuichi? You're the one and only Youko Kurama, and you couldn't let yourself just remain imprisoned here in the human world, could you? You had to find an escape— /  
  
\ What proof have you of this? \ As soon as the thought was out, Kurama realized how great the mistake in saying it had been. The youko laughed at his realization, but played along.  
  
/ I'm so very glad you asked. Shall we see yet another instance from the past, ningen? /  
  
Kurama could only watch as the scene in his mind unfolded before him . . .  
  
(::flashback::)  
  
Another night. Hiei had come earlier, telling the fox when the heist would be made. Kurama silently agreed, and the half-koorime had left again. The youko was lying on his bed now, the only living being in the house, while dark thoughts found their way into his mind.  
  
If Minamino Shuichi were to die . . . I would be free.  
  
Free of the Ningenkai . . . free to return to my life as a youko . . .  
  
He had to admit, he missed his old life.  
  
The risks . . . carefully decoding elaborate traps and codes . . . the dark joy of knowing that the owner . . . or . . . the FORMER owner . . . would be shocked that his priceless treasure had been so easily stolen . . .  
  
He chuckled softly, remembering the times when he was younger . . . when he had foolishly stayed to see the shocked looks on his 'patron's faces . . . looking back, he was rather lucky not to have been caught back then . . . he sighed.  
  
In some small part of him, he liked Shiori. Always playing the 'good boy', when he could have easily become a delinquent. D—n her, he thought, remembering the day he had fallen from the counter, only to be saved from the broken plates on the floor by her quick reaction. Those scars from the shattered china . . . he hated them. It tied her to him, and him to her. D—n them . . .  
  
This was where the mirror of darkness came in.  
  
Hiei had already claimed the conjuring blade (E.V. shadow sword) as his own . . . giving Kurama the choice of either the rapacious orb (E.V. orb of baast) or the mirror . . . he thought about the choice for a moment before Goki had burst in, saying he wanted the soul-stealing orb for himself. Kurama was fine with that . . . he had already decided the mirror was the only way for him to be rid of that onna.  
  
So, it had come to this.  
  
In the depths of his mind, Kurama realized the only choice was for him to give his 'life' for Shiori, then escape back into the Makai and continue living as a youko . . . where the long years of the kitsune bandit awaited him. He closed his eyes to sleep . . . a small smile on his face as he thought of the final plan . . .  
  
I shall be rid of the shackles that tie me to the human world . . . and all will think it was for some noble purpose . . .  
  
(::end of flashback::)  
  
\ . . . youko . . . \ he thought as he approached the school gate of Sarayashiki Junior High, inquiring as to where the detective was.  
  
/ Yes, Shuichi? / his other half responded, sounding a little TOO smug. Kurama ignored it, and went on as he saw Yusuke talking to the student he had just sent.  
  
\ Perhaps . . . \ The youko gave a small laugh before fading away.  
  
/ Perhaps. / He sneered mockingly . . .  
  
"Kurama?" Yusuke inquired when he saw the redhead standing at the gate to his school.  
  
"Yep . . . today, I'm to return the treasure . . . before I do, there's someone I'd like you to meet." He replied.  
  
"Meet . . .?" Yusuke responded intelligently (a.n./ stupid baka . . . yes, lol, I know that those two words mean the same thing, it's just fun to say!! ^-^;;;).  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
"It's complicated. To her, I'm Shuichi . . . and she did give birth to me, sort of."  
  
"How could she 'sort of' do that?"  
  
"By a deception that's lasted for fifteen years. I'm actually a youko—an enchanted fox . . . My specialty was undoing seals and codes and stealing the ancient treasures they secured . . . But my luck ran out and I ran afoul of a powerful bounty hunter. Badly injured, I assumed soul form and escaped into the human world . . . I was too weak to shift to human form or possess a body, so there was only one option: enter an embryo before it acquired a proper soul . . . In ten years or so my powers would return and my body become fully inhuman, at which point I'd leave the family . . . That, at least, was the plan . . ."  
  
"It didn't work out?"  
  
". . . you saw the scars on her arms?"  
  
"Yeah . . . they looked old."  
  
"Six years old . . . that day changed everything . . . . . . .  
  
The scars remained. I tried to leave many times, but my father had died long ago and she would have been all alone . . . I kept seeing those scars, that smile . . . I just couldn't bring myself to do it." As he was speaking, Kurama's youko half chuckled silently on the lie he was about to speak . . . the true ability in the deception to win in his favor the idea of a 'noble death' . . .  
  
"It shouldn't have been possible for a creature with a demon heart, but when she became gravely ill all doubt vanished . . . I was a son who loved his mother." The youko half was managing to keep his laughter in check at the ningen detective's serious face, and Kurama, as well, had the mask of sadness in his voice and demeanor . . . a kitsune was, after all, a master at manipulation . . . and the fox continued with his story . . .  
  
"Now, she has maybe a month to live . . . I can save her with this mirror, Yusuke. That's all that matters to me . . ." He kept his face carefully veiled of the true emotions residing within . . .  
  
"Once that's done, I'll return it and surrender myself."  
  
The youko within laughed heartily at this.  
  
/ What a fool to fall for this act! Some spirit detective! I'll be long hidden in the Makai before they even realize this little speech was nothing but false truths! / Kurama stayed silent, giving no sign of the demon voice inside . . .  
  
"Why are you telling me this?" The spirit tantei asked.  
  
/ And now . . . for the final act, to win his pity . . . and secure my freedom . . . / The youko sneered.  
  
"Maybe I needed to bare my soul to someone . . . who was willing to TRUST me . . ." Kurama chukled inwardly at the irony . . . so much had been built upon one lie . . .  
  
. . . . .  
  
"There you are, Shuichi!! Come QUICKLY, it's your mother!!"  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
". . . That's it. I have to do this."  
  
"You'll . . . use the mirror?! . . . I 've heard that to grant your wish, it requires something in return . . . do you know what that is?" (Yusuke)  
  
"Yes . . . your LIFE . . . This demonic device takes your life at the very moment your wish is granted . . . Obviously, no one possesses it for long . . .  
  
Mirror of darkness, awaken in the moonlight . . . let your face show my desire, that I may invoke your power."  
  
Now, the truth be told, he DID care about Shiori . . . to some extent. The most he'd ever cared for anyone other than Kuronue, or himself, actually . . . so he did wish for her to be happy, his ningen half did, anyway. Kurama buried the selfish truth into the darkest part of his soul, only allowing the mirror to see Shuichi's genuine wish—  
  
"THIS WOMAN'S HEALTH AND HAPPINESS . . . IS THAT WHAT YOU ASK ME TO GRANT?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Hey, mebbe you'd better think about this! . . . I mean, your life for HERS? . . . Is that the best deal available?" (Yusuke)  
  
"It is, believe me." The youko laughed silently again, looking forward to being free from the ningen body at last.  
  
"ARE YOU SURE? YOU WOULD SACRIFICE YOUR LIFE FOR THIS WOMAN'S HAPPINESS?"  
  
He couldn't resist . . . the youko took over his voice and made the moment even more dramatic . . .  
  
"It that would make any amends for my sins . . . and for DECEIVING her these past fifteen years . . ."  
  
"THEN YOUR WISH . . . IS MY COMMAND!"  
  
Kurama could feel the strength from the ningen body fading away, slowly, and the youko spirit gaining strength . . . then, suddenly, it stopped. He opened his eyes to see the detective kneeling next to him!  
  
"What are—?!" He stuttered out, the youko within crying out in frustration / NO!! /  
  
"Mirror! Listen up! Take some of MY life!! . . . That way you won't have to take ALL of his, right?!" (Yusuke)  
  
"What?! . . . Are you INSANE?!" The kitsune exclaimed in surprise and, the undercurrent of, anger.  
  
"You ever see a mother despairing over her lost child? . . . NO woman should suffer such agony . . . "(Yusuke)  
  
". . . "  
  
(a.n./ and so, a few moments later . . . . )  
  
/ . . . d—n . . . I guess I'm TOO talented an actor . . . / the youko hissed, enraged at being foiled. The bright red hair of the ningen Minamino Shuichi fell foreward to cover his eyes as he pushed himself up and off the ground. The kitsune was still trapped, only for much longer than originally thought, and he stood slowly after the flash of light, settling back into playing the part.  
  
". . . I'm . . . I'm alive . . . The mirror . . . did it . . . is SHE . . .?! . . . Mom!"  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Shuichi . . . !! . . . It looks like . . . she'll be okay!"  
  
". . . "(Kurama)  
  
"Better than okay. I anticipate a FULL RECOVERY!! . . . The will to live never ceases to amaze me." (the doctor)  
  
"Shu . . . ichi . . . Are you there . . . ? . . . Shuichi . . ." (Shiori)  
  
"Mom . . . I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere . . . That's a promise . . . !" His youko half was fuming in frustration under the surface, but the 'weaker' part of the fox, the ningen Shuichi, felt a small twinge of relief . . .  
  
Later that night, Kurama walked into the still-empty house . . . Shiori would be home in a couple days, the hospital just wanted to keep her a few more nights to make sure she truly WAS able to be released. He collapsed onto the bed, having a mental conversation with himself . . .  
  
/ Shuichi . . . / the youko said threateningly.  
  
\ Please, youko, I would rather not talk about this . . . \  
  
/ Well I do. Why'd you bring the detective along, anyway? /  
  
\ It was your idea. You wanted an AUDIENCE, remember? \  
  
/ . . . and since when do you ever listen to ME, ningen! / The demon growled in return. / We would have been better off alone . . . I could be roaming Makai right now if it wasn't for him . . . /  
  
\ Well, we'll just have to live with his 'honor', won't we? \  
  
/ Ha! If you mean live for another chance to escape . . . then, yes, ningen. /  
  
Kurama sighed heavily as he drifted off to sleep . . .  
  
~ OWARI ^-^ ~  
  
So . . . what'd ya think? Please tell me . . . I had this idea in my head and it wouldn't go away, so I wrote it down lol.  
  
I know Kura-kun seems a little dark in this fic . . . sorry . . . will probably get flamed for it. T.T;;  
  
But please review and tell me what you think (even if it's by way of a flame . . . ::sigh:: . . .)! =^-^=  
  
Ja ne!  
  
- Kita out ^-^ 


End file.
